10 reasons why Pakistan needs to eliminate terrorism

1. Pakistan-China Economic border must not be sabotaged, at all costs!

We have recently seen terrorist activities spike in the country after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pakistan and formally announced China’s intention to invest a $47bn project in Pakistan. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will be immensely beneficial for Pakistan, as it has the capacity to rid our nation of its power crisis and besides creating massive employment opportunities, boost our economic growth as well.

2. Pakistan’s name becomes synonymous with that of a failed state

A dysfunctional state is nothing to be proud of! Visa restrictions, international isolation and worldwide contempt, all arise when a nation becomes a failed state. Hence, Pakistan must adopt an aggressive approach towards all those who are involved in crippling our country.

3. The tourism industry is adversely affected

Ours is a nation that has been blessed with countless scenic beauties and wonderful natural sites that mesmerize travelers. However, with extremism rampant in the country, tourism in Pakistan has suffered a great deal, as foreigners are unwilling to come to the Islamic Republic.

4. Terrorism hinders any potential investment in Pakistan’s benefit

Investment is vital for a country to grow economically and prosper by leaps and bounds. Economic activity thrives on the basis of investment in the country. Where the writ of the state is not applicable, investors, businessmen or foreign governments would hesitate to invest in Pakistan.5. Nefarious activities of terrorism portray Islam in a negative light.

The majority of terrorist attacks conducted inside Pakistan are by Islamic militants, those who kill unjustly and indiscriminately in the name of Islam. Ultimately, this provides fuel to the fire which maligns and portrays the image of Islam in a negative light. Pakistan must counter these nefarious designs and take to task such banned outfits for misrepresenting Islam.

6. Terrorism challenges the writ of the state, which in turn destroys societal order

The armed forces of Pakistan, in cohesion with the government, are responsible for maintaining law and order in the country. Certain elements that challenge the writ of the state, instigate and encourage other splinter groups or rebel outfits to conduct the same anti-societal activities.

7. With great power comes great responsibility; ours is a nuclear armed nation!

Pakistan is equipped with nuclear warheads and as a result, we are part of a nuclear non-proliferation pact with other countries. Hence, Pakistan must make sure that extremism and militancy from the country are annihilated at all costs, otherwise the nukes may end up in the wrong hands!

8. As a safe haven for terrorists, can we even consider hosting a mega sporting event ever again?

Ever since the Sri Lankan team’s bus was riddled with bullets in 2009, Pakistan has been unable to host a mega sporting event in the country. Even the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 was not held in our country, which caused colossal revenue losses for the country.

9. In our country, extremism is instrumental in fanning sectarianism

Pakistan is not only a culturally diverse nation, but also a homeland where people hailing from different religions and religious sects co-exist. Often terrorist activities such as the Abbas town blast, stoke sectarian differences and result in fanning the flames of sectarian hatred.

10. Extremism can cut off cordial relations with neighborly states and result in an all out war

Pakistan must adopt serious measures in order to tackle extremism and militancy. If it does not, it would give off the vibe that our country is a safe haven for terrorists and the fact that these terrorist are state sponsored by Pakistan. This could result in enmity and given the nature of Pakistan’s fragile diplomacy with India, an all-out war could be the worst case scenario!